Outside Section 7Data Current as of: 8/6/2010

SECTION 7.
Section 4H of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the third paragraph the following paragraph:-

In accordance with section 2A of chapter 71B, the division shall provide, through the bureau of special education appeals, adjudicatory hearings, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution as determined by the bureau of special education appeals for resolution of disputes between or among parents, school districts, private schools and state agencies concerning: (i) any matter relating to the identification, evaluation or educational program or placement of a child with a disability or the provision of a free and appropriate public education to the child arising under said chapter 71B and its regulations or under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. section 1400 et seq., and its regulations; or (ii) a student's rights under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. section 794, and its regulations. All such disputes shall be referred for resolution to the bureau of special education appeals in the division. The costs incurred by the division in carrying out its duties pursuant to this paragraph shall be borne by the department of elementary and secondary education. These costs and the costs of carrying out the division's other duties shall be kept separate to the extent practical, except that the costs of administrative support for the bureau of special education appeals shall be allocated to the bureau of special education appeals under a reasonable formula determined by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the chief administrative magistrate. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the chief administrative magistrate shall periodically enter into memoranda of understanding to set forth the obligations of their respective organizations in carrying out this paragraph, as described in said section 2A of said chapter 71B. The director of special education appeals shall participate in the negotiations with regard to the memoranda of understanding and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education and the chief administrative magistrate shall make all reasonable efforts to incorporate the director's views in entering into the memoranda. The director of the special education appeals shall issue an annual report regarding his views about the memoranda to the chief administrative magistrate and the bureau of special education appeals advisory council.